Bedspring



D. c. TRAVIS BEDSPRING Aug. 2 1936.

Filed Nov. 6, 1953 ray/ZS fim 2 w Patented Aug. 25, 1936 BED SPRING Don Carlos Travis, Kenoslia, Wis., assignor to Simmons Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 6, 1933; Serial No. 696,800

4 Claims.

This invention relates to bed springs and other i similar cushion springs, for example such as used infurniture upholstering and automobile cushions.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a simple, yet effective means for connecting the coil springs of a bed spring orlike structure to maintain the same in their desired relation to each other; to provide such means which will be low in cost of construction and easily applied, and which will afford sufficient flexibility to permit localized compression of the structure to produce the maximum of comfort; and in general; it is the object of the invention to provide an improved bed spring or" like cushion construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing, in

which there is illustrated a portion of a bed spring structure embodyinga selected form of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig.3 is a perspective of a connecting clip device;' and Fig. 4 is a plan of one of the connections shown on a smaller scale in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, a plurality of axially vertical coil springs is shown at 5, the border or outer springs having their top coils suitably shaped to conform to the desired border shape of the bed spring in accordance with more or less conventional practice in the art.

As clearly shown; in Fig. 1, the springs are so arranged that they formv rows extending both longitudinally and transversely of the structure. The springs in the rows extending transversely of the structure, i. e., those disposed in rows extending from side to side of Fig. 1, are connected by means of clips designated 6 which embrace crimps designated 1 in adjacent portions of substantially coplanar coils, in this instance the top coils of the springs.

As shown in the lower right hand portion of Fig. 1, the crimps I are offset outwardly relative to the body of the top coil of the spring, each crimp including a. substantially straight portion 8 and end portions 9, 9 which extend laterally between the straight crimp portion and the main body of the top coil.

The clips 6 are formed of sheet metal and are so stamped as to provide a pair of straight crimp portion receiving recesses HI and II respectively, and an intermediate enlarged recess l2 for receiving a helical wire connector which will presently be described.- The clip 6 is also formed so that in connection with the crimp receiving recess I I there are crimp end portion receiving recesses I3, I3. The other crimp receiving part ID is cut 5 away at its ends as clearly shown in Fig; 3, so as to avoid such engagement with the crimp end portions 'as would prevent sufiicient pivoting of the clip about the straight crimp portion. The clipisinitially left open substantially as indilo cated in broken lines in Fig. 2, so as to permit its application over a juxtaposed pair of crimps, whereupon the clip is closed and the lip 4 bent to lock the clip in closed position substantially as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. It will be ob- 1;) served that'because of the engagement of the clip with the straight portion 8 and the laterally extending end portions 9, 9 of one of the crimps of each pair, the clip will be anchored against pivotal movement about one crimp of each connected pair of crimps, while being capable of pivotal movement about the other crimp of such pair.

The helical wires previously alluded to are indicated at [5, such wires extending longitudinally of the bed spring structure and being interposed between aligned pairs of crimps of longitudinally spaced spring rows. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the helical wire receiving recess of each clip is so stamped as to provide recesses such as indicated at is adapted to receive the embraced turns of the helical when the clip is in closed position. Thus the helicals are interlocked with the respective clips and anchored against longitudinal displacement from the clips. The clips are also of a sufliciently tight fit on the helicals to prevent the helicals from being turned out of place.

The outer edge of the longitudinally extending spring row may be connected in any suitable manner, for example by means of a helical I! which is threaded over substantially aligned crimp portions 18, or any other suitable form of connection may be utilized.

The described construction is comparatively simple to make and assemble, and the respective parts may be produced and assembled at very low cost. The arrangement provides ample flexibility while at the same time being very effective to hold the parts in their normal relationship to each other.

Changes may be made in the described construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the following claims,

2 the same being construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim:

1. In a spring structure of the class described, the combination of a plurality of axially vertical coil springs arranged in rows, the respectively adjacent portions of the springs in the rows bein provided with juxtaposed crimps each formed so as to provide substantially straight portions and laterally extending end portions connecting the straight portions and the respective coils in which the crimps are formed, helical wires extending longitudinally of the rows and disposed intermediate adjacent straight crimp portions of adjacent rows, and means connecting the springs in the rows and anchoring said helical wires to said rows, said means comprising clips each having a pair of straight crimp portion receiving recesses and an intermediate enlarged recess for receiving one of said helical wires, each clip also having end crimp portion receiving recesses connected with and extending laterally from one of said straight crimp portion receiving recesses, the other of said pair of recesses being adapted to embrace a straight crimp portion so as to be pivotally movable thereabout, and means for interlocking the clips and helical wires against longitudinal movement of the helical wires relative to the clips.

2. In a spring structure of the class described, the combination of a plurality of axially vertical coil springs arranged in rows, the respectively adjacent portions of the springs in the rows being provided with juxtaposed crimps each formed so as to provide substantially straight portions and laterally extending end portions connecting the straight portions and the respective coils in which the crimps are formed, helical wires extending longitudinally of the rows and disposed intermediate adjacent straight crimp portions of adjacent rows, and means connecting the springs in the rows and anchoring said helical wires to said rows, said means comprising clips each having a pair of straight crimp portion receiving recesses and an intermediate enlarged recess for receiving one of said helical Wires, said intermediate recess being provided with helical grooves adapted to receive the turns of the helical wire disposed in said intermediate recess to anchor the helical Wire against longitudinal movement through said recess, and means for interlocking each clip and one of the crimp portions received thereby so as to prevent pivotal movement of the clips relative to such crimp portions.

3. In a spring structure of the class described, the combination of a plurality of axially vertical coil springs arranged in substantially parallel, juxtaposed rows, said springs having their top coils disposed in substantially co-planar relation, a resilient helical wire extending longitudinally of the rows and interposed between the mutually adjacent sides of the top coils of said rows of springs, clips embracing juxtaposed portions of said adjacent top coils and the respective interposed portions of said helical wire, each of said clips being fixedly anchored to one of the embraced coil portions and pivotally movably receiving the other so as to permit relative pivotal movement between the connected coils, and said clips having seats formed therein for receiving portions of the embraced helical wire portions to thereby lock the helical wire against longitudinal shifting, and the clips being of such size as to tightly grip said embraced helical wire portions to thereby prevent rotation of the helical wire.

4. A connecting clip for a bed spring or like structure, comprising a metal member shaped to provide upper and lower portions each having end flanges and an intermediate offset portion forming a seat for receiving a portion of a helical wire or like member, the end flanges at both ends of the clip being disposed in spaced relation for receiving portions of spring coils or the like between them, the end flanges at one end of the clip being integrally connected, and one of the end flanges at the other end of the clip having a lip adapted to be bent inwardly so as to overlap the other end flange at said other end of the clip to thereby lock the clip in closed condition.

DON CARLOS TRAVIS. 

